Method and apparatus for raising submerged ships



Aug-12 1930. I w. 1.. CULBERTSON 1,772,709v

HETHQD AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUBMERGED SHIPS Filed a 26, 1927 2 Shuts-Sheet 1 Aug. 12, 1930. w. .CULBERTSON METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUBIIERGED SHIPS Filed Jan. 26, 1927 2 Sheets-Shoot 2 il I.

. Ill/451515114 x0 llllll lll IJI- Patented Aug. 12, 1930 UNETED STA -Es PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM LINN CULBERTSON, on THE UNITED STATES NAVY, WoRLAND, WYOMING METHODAND APPARATUS Fon'naIsINo SUBMERGED SHIPS Application filed January 26, 1927. Serial No. 163,626. 7

My invention is designed to provide animproved method of and apparatus for raising vessels which through accident or mischance have been sunk and are partlyor completely submerged in water, and it contemplates displacing the water inside the vessel and raising or increasing the buoyancy Ofthe'sub merged hull by the deliverytheretoffrom a suitable source of supply of rigid buoyant devices; such as sealed,hollow, metallic balls, which are impermeablelto water and have high resistance to'crushing} The resistance of the balls to crushing is largely due toimaking them of spherical form andmay beincreased by placingthe balls under an initial internal pressure. p The buoyant devices are preferably introducedinto the vessel by the weight of an accumulation of suich devices above level of water'in a conduit through as which the balls are supplied. Thegweightof such devices forcesthe lowe'nbuoya'nt' devices downward through the water inthe lower part of the supplyconduit and into theinterior of the hull with which the lower portion of the conduit communicates, The distance the balls must be moved through water before vescaping from' the conduit into the hull, and consequently the accumulation and weight of the balls necessary to effect such so movement through thewa'ter 'may be regu lated by forcing down the water level in the conduit below the levelof the Water'submerging the vessel.' This may be effected by introducing into the conduit a fluid under ressure of lower specific gravity than the alls themselves; such compressed fluid-permitting the balls-to fall freely therethrough but forcing back the water level'toward or, to the 7 lower end of the conduit. By my improved 6 40 method and apparatus; it is possible, to utilize the force of gravity acting on the ball or the like passing through a fluid having a specific gravity'lower than'fthe' ball for carryingit the greater part of the distancenecessary for delivery to the hull, and t'o'then utilizethe weight of, or the force of gravityacting on, an accumulation of such buoyant devices for forcing "the lower devices into the bull in sequence' through water of higher specific gravity than any individual device.

V the chamber is cut ofl from the atmosphere Inthe preferred practice of my invention, a flexible tube or conduit is so connected with a submerged hull as to communicate with the interiorthereof and the bulk of the water is forced out of the conduit by means of compressed air, compressedvgases, steam or the like,preferably leavinga water seal adjacent to the lower portion of the conduit. Hollow, metallic balls are then inserted in the conduit until the weight ,of balls accumulated the space above ithewater level is suflicient to force balls lying inor upon the water atthe bottom of the conduit through the water seal and into the hull. Preferablythe depth of water in a conduit is so proportioned tothe length of the conduit that balls pile up to near the inlet to the conduit before their weight is sufiicient to forcethe lowermostball out of thebottom of the conduit. Con;- sequently the balls fed into the conduit inlet ,havebut ashort fall'zl or if a shallow water seal is used the descentof the ball throughthe water-free space may be checked at suitable intervals, if desired, by friction devices carried by the conduit to prevent injury to the balls by impact. 7 4 V r Y The halls are :preferablyfdelivered toithe' conduit from aplura'lity of chambers which alternately are placed in communicationvvith the conduit andclosed'to the atmosphere and 80 then out 01f from the conduit and opened to the atmosphereythe balls being inserted in the chamber while the conduit is cut off therefrom and discharged into the conduit whilesis to avoid excessive loss of the compressed fluid. I I Itcwill, however, be understood that where a vessel is sunk in such shallow water that the normal depth of water in theisupply conduit is not great, the balls may be forced through such water in the submerged portion of the conduit and into the hull without any necessity for lowering the levelof the water in the conduit This may be done by filling a conduit section with a proper number of balls andelevating the end of theffllled conduit, 7 or by attaching the inlet end ofthe conduit H to a mast or other elevated structure and ac- Ion V therein to cumulatin a sufficient number of the balls orce the lower ones out.

The characteristic features and advantages of my improvements will more full appear from the following descri tion an the accompanying drawings in il ustration thereof.

In the drawin s, Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammaticall the sa vaging of a sunken vessel by means 1n improvements; Fig. 2 is a similar view ta en at right angles to'the view sbpwnin Fig.-1;- Fig; 3 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a preferred form of mechanism for expelling watersfrom and supplying buoyant devices to a conduit leading to the submerged ship; Fig; 4 is a side elevation of a reservoir or magazine from which the. buoy- ?illt devicesaresupplied to the conduit; Fig. 5

' is;a sectional view of one of the buoyant devices; and Bi 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewzillustrating the application of a descent checkin device to aportion of a conduit by 'yvhicht e buoyantdevices may be delivered tothe submerged shi 7 accordance wit my invention, the submergedship which it isdesired to raise to the surface of the water is first emptied of cargo asfar as, possible so as to provide the.

largest possible space withinthe hull for buoyant'devices, which are preferably rigid, spherical, hollow steel balls, and may be of an desired size. Preferably, however, the ba are made from twelve to sixteen inches indiameter, v

The hatchways and other large openings inthehullare' preferably closed by means gfigratingsor ars preventing the escape o halls but ermitting the escape of water from the hull: v

The bu ant devices or hollow balls 1 are trans orte to thevicinity of the submerged vesse A by a salvaging vesselB and are delivered from the salvaging vessel into the nterior of the submerged'vessel by-means of strong flexibleconduits or hoses 2 having 'the ir lower or discharge ends 3 communicatjug with various ortions of the interior of thehull A throug ports already existing or through apertures cut in the hull by divers jtorthe purpose. The conduits or tubes may be so positioned that the balls discharged therefrom will reach all empty parts of the hulland may 'be fixed to the hull in any desired manner.

fllhe buoyant devices may be forced through the conduits into the submerged hull by the direct action of fluid pressure thereon, but asthis necessitates overcoming the buoyancy of; the ballsfor thewhole length of the subn of the conduits, I prefer to utilize e fweight of unsubrnerged balls to fioroeileating or submerged ballsthrough the molest the-outlet from the submerged portion, of theeconduits. To minimize the requiredfor this, it is desirable to,

water: from the greater portions or all of the submer ed len hs of the conduits by the pressure 0 a flui such as air, gas or steam having a specific gravity lower than the specific gravity of the balls or buoyant devices, which consequentlyl fall by gravity through the tube down to t e water level indicated at 4 in the lower portions of the tubes. It is, of course, ossible to completely ex el the water from t e conduit or tube, but t is may involve an excessive loss of compressed fluid, and this loss is minimized. by p'a'mitting a water seal to remain in the lower portionof the tube, The depth of this water seal is preferably such that the tube is nearly filledwith ballsbefore the lowermost ball is forced out, and additional balls then entered at the top .ofthe tube or conduitforce the same number of balls out of the bottom of the .conduit and into the hull. Should the depth of the water seal be shallow proportionately'to the len th of thetubes, the descent of the balls or uoyant devices through the water free section ofv the tube or conduit maybe checked, so as to-avoid injury by i'mpactof the balls with one another, b a frictional ring 6 of leather, rubberor the 'ke clamped between the flanges of a coupling 7 connecting. sections of. the conduit or tube 2 together. The aperture or'opening in the :ring 6 is such astoyprevent free assage of the balls therethrough and chec without sto ping, theirdownward descent.

he upper ends of the respective conduits 2 may beprovided ,with gate valves 8, and when in,use for sup lying buoyant devices to the submerged hull are respectively connected with a deliver tube 9 of mechanism for supplying a substantially continuous stream of balls torthe tube. This mechanism 10 and ll communicating through the throat I12 with-a tube section 9: communication between the respective chambers 10 and 11 and the throat 12 beingcontrolled by a valve 13 movable on the pivot 14 by an arm 15 operable by the link 15'. The opposite ends ofthe chambersrlO andll are provided with ports which may be tightly sealed by gates or valveslfi secured in'place by the fasteners 17. These fasteners may be controlled by pistons orrplungers 18 movable in cylinders 19 com municating with the interiors of the respective chambers 10 and 11, and-may: be supplemented by-fasteners lf r I r a Fluid under compression, such as air, may

bGl suppliedrfrom a pump 21 to 'an'accumu mosphere when not connected, with theaccu mulator. The accumulator 22 may be connected with the chamber llthrough the pipe 27 and Valve 28, the latter-having parts for connecting the chamber with the atmosphere when not in communication with the accumulator.

A movable tray 33 may be used for delivering balls of buoyant devices 1 to the several chambers and 11 when the respective doors 16 are opened.

In the referred practice of my invention, the end of a tube 2 is connected with the sub merged hull audits upper end is connected with a section 9. The chambers 10 and 11 are filled with balls from the tray 83 and the doors 16 are locked in closed positions. Air under pressure is admitted to the throat 12 and forces the water out of a desired portion of the length of the conduit '2. The balls from the chamber 10 are permitted to pass through the throat 12, conduit '9, past the valve 8 and into the tube 2. Theaccumulated'weight of the column of balls in the tube 2 forces the lowermost balls out the lower end of the tube and into the hull of the submerged vessel. WVhen all of the balls have been discharged from the chamber 10, the valve 13 is turned so as to close this chamber and permit the balls from the chamber 11 to pass through the throat12, tube 9, past the valve 8 and into the tube 2. Meanwhile the valy e 26 has been so turned as to permit the escape of, com

pressed air from the chamber 10, and when the pressure in such chamber has been suite ciently reduced, the fastener 17 may be opera-ted and the gate 16 opened. A new charge of balls is then delivered to the chamber 10 from the tray 33, the gate16 is closed, and pressure is admitted to the chamber 10 by turning the valve 26. Any high pressure in the chamber presses the piston 18 outward and prevents the inadvertent opening of the gate 16. \Vhen all of the balls have been discharged from the chamber 11, the valve 13 is again swung so as to close this chamber and permit the passage of balls from the chamber 10 into thetube 2. Meanwhile the pressure in the chamber 11 is released through the valve 28, a new charge of balls is admitted to the chamber, and the pressure in the chamber 11 is again raised by compressed air admitted through the valve 28.

The chambers 10 and 11 are thus used alf ternately to supply av substantially constant stream of balls through the tube 2 until the portion of the submerged hull which can be reached by balls delivered through the tube has been filled. Another tube 2, connected with a different portion of the vessel, may be then connecte-d'with the tube 9 and the operation repeated until the hull'has been filled with a sufficient number of balls to raise it or give it sufficient buoyancy for manipulation.

Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to inject into thehull a fluid or plastic buoyant material such as parafiine-or a mixture of'parafline and cork to fill the interstices between the balls and distribute the pressure on the balls and hull members. The balls may also be placed under an internal pressure, during manufacture, if desired. Having'described my invention, I claim:

IL -Themethod of raising a submerged vessel which comprises utilizing the weighto'f buo ant 'devices in'one fluid for forcingsimi sel which comprises delivering buoyant de-- vices to the vesselthrough a conduit having asubmerged portion containing afluid of lower specific gravity than the buoyant devices.

' 4. Themethod of raising'asubmerged vessel which comprises delivering buoyant devices thereto through a'conduit having a submerged portion discharging tosaid vessel, said buoyant devices being superimposed upon one another in said conduit and'the lower devices being forced from the sub merged -conduit portion into 'the vessel by the weight of the superimposed devices.

5. The method of raising a submerged-ves sel which comprises delivering buoyant devices thereto through a conduit having a submerged section from which water is excluded by pressure of a fluid of lower specific gravity than the buoyant devices, said buoyant devices being superimposed upon one another in said-conduitand the lower devices be ng forced into the I vessel by 'the weigh tcifftne superimposed devices.

6. "The method of raising a submerged ves? sel which comprises delivering buoyant de-' vices thereto througha compressedair filled [conduit down which said devices descend in sequencebygravity and checking the descent with previously fallen devices. I v a The method of raising a submerged vesof the descending devices before they contact sel which comprisesdelivering theretobuoyant devices through a conduit containing fluid at a pressure higherthan atmospheric, supplying fluid under pressure to a chambercon taining a charge of buoyant devices and establishing communication between said chamber and conduit and delivering said charge from saidchamber to said conduit.

8. Themethodof raising a submergedvessel which com rises delivering buoyantsdevices thereto t rough a-conduit andsupplying' saidconduit with buoyant devices from a plurality ofchambers in sequence.

9. The method of raising a submergedvessel which comprises delivering buoyant devices thereto through a conduit containing a fluid under pressure higher=tha-nfatmospheric andconnecting said conduit with a plurality of supply chambers, in sequence, said chambers being alternately-opened and sealed to the atmosphere;- i i 10. The methodoi raising. a'isubmerged vessel which comprises delivering 1 buoyant devices thereto through a conduit containing a fluid under pressure, maintaininga subpreventing operationof said valve whilesaid chamber contains fluid under hi h pressure. In testimony whereof I have ereunto set my name this 22 da of J anua 1927.

7 WILLIAM LI ouLn n izrsou.

stantially constant pressure of fluid in said i conduit, delivering buoyant devices to a supply chamber, supplying fluid under pressure to said supply chamber, connecting said supply chamber, and conduit, and, delivering buoyant devices from said chamber toysaid conduitw 4 11; Thea apparatus for supplyin rigid buoyant devices to a submerged vesse which comprises a conduitya supply reservoir for buoyant devices tobe supplied to said'con- Vduit, means controlling communication between saidsreservoirr-and conduit, and means for supplying fluid underpressure to said conduit and to said reservoir,

12. The apparatus for supplying buoyant metallic devices to a submerged vessel which comprises a conduit, means for excluding water from a submerged portion of said consupplying fluid under pressure to said conduit and to each of said chambers.

14. The apparatus for raising a submerged vessel which comprises, a conduit, means for supplying fluid under pressure to said condu'rt, means for supplying buoyant devices to said conduit, said'de'vices being discharged from said conduit to saidfvessel, said means for supplying saidbuoyant devices comprising'a plurality of chambers, valvemechanism cennectingsaid conduit with said chambers in; sequence, saidchambers having ports for f theadmission of buoyant devicesthereto, and

meansfQrseaIing-saidpOrtS. r a 15.: The apparatus for supplying buoyant devices. to a submerged vessel which com- ,priseaa conduit, a chamber having a port controlled byavalve, m'eans' for en plying 66 fluid pressure to said chamber, an means 

